The Henson Journals

[322]

Saturday, September 16th, 1911.

Another fine morning, but I found the night hot & close according to the reputation of Cologne in this respect.

The wood carvings in the Hansa Hall of the Rathouse interested me. There are nine large figures representing Heathenism, Judaism, & Christianity. The persons selected as representative throw some light on the medieval reading of History. Heathenism is represented by Hector, Alexander, & Julius Caesar: Judaism by Moses, David, & Judas Maccabeus: Christianity by Charlemagne, Arthur, & Godfrey de Bouillon.

The great popularity among the old painters of the subject of Susannah & the Elders is not wholly easy of explanation. The story must have appealed strongly to the general mind in ages when female virtue was exposed to more risks than at present: & perhaps the disgust of clerical depravity found expression in picturing the wicked elders.

There is a great accumulation of relic–rubbish in these churches of Cologne. With admirable gravity the Sacristan showed us one of the water–bottles in which the miracle at Cana was worked, & part of the clothes of the Infant Jesus. The 'true Cross' was well represented: & many limbs of the Apostles. What measure of [333] reality attaches now to this strange worship? How far would the Roman Authorities weaken their hold in the multitude by clearing all the trumpery out of the Churches, & making a bone–fire of it? The Guide–book to S. Ursula's Church, written by the priest in charge, & sold in the sacristy, is certainly conceived in an apologetic vein. An attempt is made to give historical verisimilitude to the legend of the 11000 virgins. Clearly the breath of Doubt has passed over S. Ursula's.

After seeing 'the encampments' of Calvinists in the Dutch Churches, the spectacle of Cologne with the Mass daily offered reverently, raises sharp & dolorous questioning in one's mind. Which is the truer expression of the New Testament ? Those silent varnished pews or this continuing worship? One has to recall other things in order to re–state the question more fairly. Which has in the main served best the higher interests of mankind – Protestantism thus miserably illustrated or Catholicism thus gloriously manifested? This is an appeal to the past, & it may be made by the Protestant with some assurance. But what of the present & the future? Where is there the most religious life & promise – in the Calvinist 'encampment' or in the Roman 'worship'? The Religion of Holland seems dying or dead: that of Roman Germany seems full of aggressive vigour. There seems no possibility of Protestant religious revival: the Superstitions of Catholicism have perennial fountains. [324] Protestantism made little of institutions, much of doctrines: but the first will always possess practical justifications, the last, when they cease to command belief, have no excuse. Thus the universal decay of theological conviction has left the Roman System of Institutions more vigourous [sic] than ever: while the Protestant Churches encumbered with dead creeds appear to lack intelligible raison d'être. It must be added that the Roman System, though vigourous, grows daily more intolerant & intolerable. We may again witness an epoch of religious persecution provoked by the Roman Church, & reluctantly entered upon by the modern State. But Protestantism is only persecuted by the Church, never by the State. The State cares nothing for doctrines, much for practical considerations. Besides one does not make war on parasites & corpses. And the Protestant Churches are one or the other! May it not be the case that essential Christianity is properly independent both of Catholic Institutions, and of Protestant dogmatics? Are there not in the Gospel Ideas, eternally true, & always relevant to human circumstances which can be trusted to survive the ruin of Churches & the fossilizing of Credenda? And will these not by their own inherent power fashion for themselves new modes of expression, & shape human life by unprecedented methods? Are we not now in the chill & slush of a winter, which shall in due course end in a springtime of Life?

[325]

We left Cologne by the 8.52 a.m. train, & reached Aachen at 10.15 a.m., having registered our luggage to Brussels. At Aachen we spent about 4 hours. Our first visit was to the Cathedral, where we saw with astonishment the famous octagon of Charlemagne, & the many beautiful specimens of ancient metalwork in the Treasury. The Relics were unspeakable. As the sacristan rehearsed them in a monotonous sing–song, one's thoughts recurred inevitably to the visit which Erasmus & Colet paid to the Shrine of St Thomas. The mosaics are very splendid. From the cathedral we went to the Rathaus, where we saw the noble Kaiser'saal [sic]. Since my former visit to Aachen there has been much building in the neighbourhood of the Cathedral, & this has nowise improved the aspect of the Cathedral itself. We hired a carriage & drove round the city. In the course of our drive we saw two ancient towers, presumably part of the civic fortifications. At 2.48 p.m. we left Aachen, and, after twice changing trains, we arrived at Brussells [sic] about 6.8 p.m. Here we found that our registered luggage had not arrived, never having passed the custom house at Verviers. We lamented the credulity which induced us to accept the assertion of a scoundrelly porter who took our paper–form, & returned with the assurance that the custom–house inspection had duly taken place. We put up for the night at the Hôtel de l'Europe, hoping to recover our luggage in the morning.

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